Envelopes are a common and well-known means for transporting materials in the mail between parties. It is also well-known to have located on the envelope at least one window through which certain matter printed on the contents of the envelope can be seen. Typically, an envelope will include a window wherein the name of the addressee, printed on the inside material, will show through. The clear advantage of such an arrangement is that the envelope need not be addressed, saving a considerable amount of time, especially where a large amount of mail is sent.
Another window sometimes seen on an envelope is located and designed to expose a return address of the sender. This too has the advantage of time-saving procedures especially where bulk postage is concerned. Some envelopes may indeed have windows for both the addressee and return address of the sender.
In the prior art, there are also other instances of envelopes including windows for material other than the addressee or the return address. Usually, these windows are used in envelopes containing advertising or promotional material and may expose matter printed on the contents of the envelope designed to attract or compel the addressee, in order to gain attention.
Ongoing developments by both U.S. domestic and international postal authorities attempt to streamline and simplify the process of addressing, filling and applying postage to envelopes. There continue to be efforts on the part of the U.S. postal authorities to sell postage to users not only person-to-person at a post office and through the mail, but also through electronic means. Thus, it is established that postage can now be obtained from the U.S. postal authorities through telephone lines, and may be stored in various forms. Additionally, it is highly likely that postage will in future be obtainable for purchase on the Internet, using various security measures and personal identification numbers to protect against unauthorized usage and transactions. When postage is acquired over the Internet or electronic means, refills will be possible using electronic downloads, and the appropriate information as to the amount of postage obtained and used to date stored on a desk-top or other computer.
There is presently under development an electronic stamp which uses a desktop computer and printer in order to print postage. This postage may be printed directly onto the envelope, or it may be printed on special postage labels for later application onto the envelope by means of an adhesive. The ability of a computer to download and generate postage from an attached printer, as well as to monitor the amount of postage remaining in the computer, is an important development.
The present invention seeks to use these developments to further advantage, so that postage printed from a computer or other electronic source can be used more efficiently. It should, however, be noted that the present invention is not restricted to using such electronic postage, and may extend to postage produced by any other means.